Brazilian citrus industry records 51,711 hires despite weaker orange juice demand
Brazil’s citrus industry recorded 51,711 hires in the 2025/26 season, up 4.2% from the previous cycle despite weaker global demand for orange juice. São Paulo remained the main employment center, while Mato Grosso do Sul posted the fastest growth.
Citrus hiring rises by 4.2%
Brazil’s citrus industry recorded 51,711 hires during the 2025/26 harvest season, which ran from July 2025 through June 2026. The total was 4.2% higher than the 49,624 workers hired in the previous season, according to Monitor do Mercado.
The figures were compiled by the National Association of Citrus Juice Exporters, CitrusBR, using data from Brazil’s General Register of Employed and Unemployed Workers, known as Caged. The increase came despite declining global demand for orange juice, creating a contrast between a difficult international market and continued employment generation in Brazil’s citrus-producing regions.
Ibiapaba Netto, executive director of CitrusBR, said the increase demonstrated the industry’s capacity to generate jobs, income and economic development in Brazil’s interior even during a challenging period in the international market. The employment data cover admissions rather than the sector’s net job creation or total workforce.
São Paulo retains its dominant position
São Paulo, Brazil’s largest orange-producing state, accounted for 72% of all citrus-industry hires. Employers in the state recruited 37,308 workers between July 2025 and June 2026, compared with 37,538 in the previous season. That represented a decline of 0.6%, leaving hiring broadly stable in the country’s principal citrus hub.
The figures underline the geographic concentration of Brazil’s orange production and processing base. São Paulo continued to provide by far the largest volume of citrus employment, even as faster percentage gains were reported in other states. For growers, processors and labor providers, the state’s stable hiring level indicates that the established production center remained resilient despite weaker demand in the global juice market.
Newer production areas expand hiring
Minas Gerais registered 7,958 hires, an increase of 13.2% from the previous season. The state generated 15.39% of the country’s citrus-sector admissions and retained the second-largest national share. Paraná recorded 2,217 hires, up 39.2%, and accounted for 4.29% of the total.
Mato Grosso do Sul delivered the strongest percentage increase among Brazil’s principal citrus-producing areas. The state recorded 1,614 hires, a rise of 276% from the preceding season, lifting its share of national citrus employment to 3.12%. Monitor do Mercado linked the expansion in employment to growth in the area allocated to orange cultivation in the state.
The state-level results show two parallel trends. São Paulo continues to anchor the industry through its scale, while Minas Gerais, Paraná and especially Mato Grosso do Sul are increasing their contribution to citrus employment. The national rise in admissions does not remove the pressure caused by weaker international orange juice demand, but it shows that production activity and orchard expansion continued to support jobs during the 2025/26 cycle. Future hiring will depend on whether that expansion can be sustained while producers and processors adjust to conditions in the global juice market.
